Muted magic

Anthony Coleman as Satchel Mouth

It might seem odd, given that jazz is an aural experience, but Dan Pritzker has made a silent film of the Louis Armstrong story. Nature, and jazz, abhor a vacuum though, and showings of Louis in the eastern US, 25-31 August, are being accompanied by a 10-piece band led by none other than sometime Louis-reincarnation Wynton Marsalis. The screenings also feature pianist Cecile Licad, playing music by the 19th half-Creole New Orleanian virtuoso Louis Gottschalk.

Pritzker, billionaire son of Hyatt hotel founder Jay Pritzker, was to have made his directing debut with a film on Buddy Bolden but shelved that after taking inspiration from a showing of Charlie Chaplin’s City Lights accompanied by a live symphony orchestra in 2001.

The website describes the film as a “homage to Louis Armstrong, Charlie Chaplin, beautiful women and the birth of American music,” in which “the grand Storyville bordellos, alleys and cemeteries of 1907 New Orleans provide a backdrop of lust, blood and magic for the 6 year old Louis.” There is no news as yet of showings outside the US.